Food serving trays are well known in the prior art and they have been widely used in conjunction with high chairs to assist in feeding children. Serving trays have also been illuminated for purposes such as advertising, providing light in darkened areas, and illuminating the glassware in which drinks are being served at cocktail lounges.
Children's toys have long been illuminated to provide entertainment and educational benefits for children. Such illuminated toys include game tables and playing boards, electronic games, and educational devices which are designed to allow children to interact with them.
Although illuminated toys and serving trays are well known in the prior art, there has been a long-felt need for an effective way to occupy children while they are waiting for their food to be served. High chairs are often used to confine the child so that the adult is free to prepare the food. This has never been entirely satisfactory because the child may become restless and attempt to climb out of the chair, causing the adult to fear the child will fall if the child is not resecured in the chair. The child may be given toys to provide amusement while the food is being prepared, but toys are usually dropped or thrown on the floor and must be picked up by the adult. Such continuous interruptions cause the food preparation to be delayed, which generally adds to the child's restlessness.
The present invention combines the elements of flashing lights and manual switches with a child's serving tray so that the child will be entertained, amused, and educated. Although the invention is especially useful to occupy the child while an adult is preparing food, the illuminated tray makes the high chair an education and amusement center which may be used at any time. The child's tray may be securely attached to the chair so that it cannot be removed and dropped by the child. The switches allow the child to actively interact with the tray, and the artistic designs and flashing lights provide entertainment and amusement at any time.